After being arrowed for the Transport Minister portfolio, Khaw Boon Wan was quick to clarify he did not volunteer to take on the role. He said: “I think you volunteer once, that’s enough. One should not keep on volunteering you know, people will misunderstand (and question) ‘what are you trying to prove?’” He confirmed that Mr Lee Hsien Loong had asked him to take over the transport ministry and since there was a hole to be filled, he readily accepted his tasking.
Mr Khaw will become the fourth minister to helm the transport ministry since 2006 and added that he will be sharing his ideas in the coming months. He did call for the public to be realistic about Singapore's MRT system and cited Hong Kong's MTR as a benchmark. Even MTR which was touted as the best rail operator had twelve major disruptions in 2014.
He also asked for the understanding and patience from the public and wished for some honeymoon period for him to settle into his new job. Khaw promised to "dive into the details, know the people, learn from them, and especially those many unsung heroes, toiling away at night, over weekends, and behind the scene. You can be sure that I will be in the trenches with you."
Editor's Note:
Do you have a story to share? Please use our submission form or email us at editorial@allsingaporestuff.com. If not, why not give us a 'Like'?